Labyrinth packing for bearings



Feb. 15, 1938. l G. NEMETZ LABYRINTH PACKING FOR BEARINGS Filed Deo. l2,1936 l, il, NN

Patented Feb. 15, 19381 LABYRINTH PACKING FOR BEARINGS Gustav Nemetz,Vienna, Austria. assigner to the firm Alex. Friedmann, vienna, AustriaApplication December 12, 1936, serial No. '115,627 v In Austria December21. 1935 f 1 4 Claims. This invention relates to bearings and moreparticularly to labyrinth packings forming a seal at the end of thebearing through which the rotating shaft passes outwards, so as toprevent dust, water or'the like from entering into the bearing.

In such labyrinth packings which comprise a plurality of stationaryringsand' a plurality of rotating rings inserted between the flrstnamedl0 rings, the gaps provided between these rings y should be as narrow aspossible along their whole periphery so that the rotating and stationaryrings arejust eii'ectively prevented from coming into contact with eachother.A Difficulties, however, arise in the event which may occursometimes owing to the conditions of working that the lining of thebearing brass gets hot and melts during operation so that the casing ofthe bearling together with the stationary rings drops for n a distanceequal to the thickness of this lining.

II the gap or gaps between the rings are too nar. rowv under theseVcircumstances the stational'i1 rings would come into contact with therotating rings whereby the bearing may be heavily damaged. Suchconditions exist for instance in the axle bearings of railway vehicles.

A further diiculty arises in respect with the attachment of thelabyrinth packing to the rotating shaft. Usually the rotating rings ofthe $0 labyrinth'packing are secured to the hub of a wheel or diskcarried by the shaft immediately adjacent to the bearing. In collarbearings not only the casing ofthe bearing, but also the menibercarrying the rotating rings of the labyrinth a5 must ,be subdivided intotwo parts in orderl to allow assembling or dismounting of the labyrinthpacking and itis somewhat diicult to secure the two halves of thismember to said hub in a simple and oil-tight manner..

An object of the present invention is to provide a labyrinth packing forbearings, wherein`a narrow gap is provided between the rotating andstationary rings along the whole periphery of the same, the arrangementbeing such that when the 45 stationary rings drop for the reasons abovereferred to, a contact between the rotating and stationary rings iseiectively prevented. A'further object of the invention ls to provide alabyrinth packing wherein subdivided rotating rings are oo secured tothe hub of adisk or wheel carried by the shaft immediately adjacent tothe bearing, in aA simple-and oil-tight manner.

An embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by way of examplein the accompany- .s ing drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a verticallongitudinal section through the bearing, v

Fig. 2 isa vertical cross-section `according to line 2-2 in Fig. l and 4Fig. 3 is a partial horizontal longitudinal sec- 5 tion according toline 3-2 in Fig. 2, showing the end of the bearing provided with thelabyrinth packing.

As shown in the drawingfthe bearing comprises a casing consisting oftheupper part I and l0 the lower part I1 and the brass 2, 21 and theinterior lining 3, 31, the brass and the lining being likewisesubdividedinto two parts. The labyrinth packing comprises the stationary rings 4,41 and 5, 51 formed on the parts of the casing I, I1 15 respectively,and the rotating rings 6, 61, 1.1.11 and 8, 81 formed on the upper half9 and the lower half4 91 of a labyrinth casing respectively. On thesehalves 9, 91 connected together by means of bolts I0, there are providedannular ribs II, 20

I|1 the lateral surfaces of which engage with a close iit intocorresponding annular grooves I2, |21 formed in the hub I3 of a wheel I4carried by the shaft or axle I5.

As will be seen from Figs. 1 and. 3, the lateral 25 surfaces of the ribII, |I1 and of the groove I2, |21 run perpendicularly tothe axis ofrotation and alter tightening the screws I0 an oil-tight connection isestablished between the hub I3 and the labyrinth casing 9, 91, thisconnection pre- 30 venting any axial displacement of this casingrelatively to the hub. 'I'he rib II, ||1 engages into the groove I2, |21in such a manner that with the halves of the labyrinth casing 9, 91itted together, a small clearance is still left be- 35 tween thecircumference ofthe rib I1 and the bottomof the groove I2, |21. y

A bolt vI6 screwed in to the wheel Il projects from the same so as toextend into a hole Aprovided in the lower part 91 of the labyrinthcasing. 40

By this means this casing is prevented from rotation relatively to thehub I3 also in the case wherein the friction existing between the ribIl, I|1 and the groove I2, |21 would not be suillcient to prevent suchrotation itself.

As shown in Fig. 2, the stationary rings, as well as the rotating ringsare substantially circular and coaxial with one another, but the innersides A'of the upper halves 4 and 5, and the outer sides of the lowerhalves 41 'and 51 of the stationary 50 rings recede from the circularform so that the width of these rings diminishes` from the pointssituated in the horizontal plane containing the axis of rotation, in thedirection to the uppermost and lowermost points of these rings. By

these means lunular spaces l1, I8, I9, 20 are formed between thestationary and rotating rings, these spaces being of such width thatwhen the lining 3, 31 of the bearing is melting and the casing I, Iltogether with the stationary rings 4, 41 and 5, 51 drops therefore forabout the thickness x of the lining, these rings are allowed to enterinto said lunular spaces to such an extent that gaps are still leftwhich just prevent a contact between the stationary and rotating rings.

The vertical width of the lunular recesses of the stationaryrings 4, 41and 5, 51 is preferably made equal to the thickness of the lining of thebearing brass plus a minimum addition, whereby 2. In a bearing alabyrinth packing comprising circular rotatingV rings and circularstationary rings inserted between and coaxial with said rotating rings,the width of said stationary rings wards and downwards so as to formluliular v4spaces between the stationary and rotating rings.

3. In a collar bearing a labyrinth packing comy prising rotating rings,stationary rings inserted between the rotating rings, a.' carrier forsaid ro- "tating rings, subdivided into two parts, a memthesmallestpossible width of the above-mentioned labyrinth gap isdetermined.

As it is to be seen from Fig. 2, narrow gaps, as indicated at 2|, 22,23, and 24 are provided along the whole periphery of the rings so thatthe tightening or sealing eiect of the labyrinth packing issubstantially the same along its whole periphery.

W'hat I claim isz- 1. In a bearing a labyrinth packing comprisingcircular rotating rings and circular stationary rings inserted betweenand coaxialvwith said rotating rings, the inner sides of the upperhalves, and the outer sides of the lower halves of the stationary ringsreceding from the circular form so that the width of the stationaryrings diminishes from the points situated in the horizontal planecontaining the axis of rotation,vupwards .and downwards.

ber carried ,by the shaft adjacent to the bearing, said carrier and saidmember being provided with an annular groove and an annular ribrespectively, the groove and rib engaging with one another so as toprevent the said .carrier from being axially displaced relatively tosaid member.

4. In a collar bearing a labyrinth packing comprising rotating rings,stationary rings inserted between said. rotating rings, a. carrier for'said rotating rings, subdivided into two parts, a member carried by theshaft adjacent to the bearing, said carrier and said member beingprovided being axially 'displaced relatively'to said member, 1 l

and means secured to said member and engaging with the carrier toprevent the latter from being rotated relatively to said member.

